7-Day Chimpanzee and Gorilla Trekking Tour in Uganda

• Early in the morning, after breakfast, leave Kampala and proceed to Kibale National Park.
• Pass through traditional villages and enjoy the evergreen vegetation.
• Approach Fort Portal and enjoy the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains.
• Then continue to Kibale National Park. This forest lies 1100-1600 m above sea level and contains montane and lowland forests with 13 primate species, including chimpanzees, monkeys, red colobus monkeys, and the rare L'Hoest's monkeys. The park was gazetted in 1932 and established in 1993 to protect the increasing number of animals and vegetation.
• On arrival at the park, visit the scenic crater region and get a chance to check out the terraced tea estates.

Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.

• After breakfast, go to the park headquarters early in the morning, where you will be briefed about chimpanzee trekking.
• By 8:00 am, start your search for the chimpanzees within the park. These primates are the closest relatives to human beings and share 98% of their DNA.
• Later in the afternoon, visit the Bigodi Swamp, which is also good for watching primates and birds. It is mainly maintained by the local people.
• Spot several bird species, including the great blue turaco. Other animal species present here include baboons, mongoose, otters, bush pigs, and bushbucks.

Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.

• After breakfast, early in the morning, opt for a nature walk in Kibale Forest or decide to drive directly to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
• Pass through Fort Portal and arrive at the park. On arrival, check in at the lodge and enjoy your lunch.
• After lunch, enjoy a game drive within the park and spot elephants, lions, buffaloes, kobs, antelopes, and many more.

After the game drive, return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

• Wake up early in the morning and enjoy a game drive to see the early morning risers on the Kasenyi track.
• Get a chance to see many animals, including lions, elephants, solitary buffaloes, kobs, antelopes, and more.
• Head to the lodge for breakfast and lunch.
• Enjoy a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, where your eyes will be treated to various water animals and birds, including crocodiles, hippos, buffaloes, pink-backed pelicans, saddle-billed storks, and malachite kingfishers.

Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

• Early in the morning after breakfast, drive towards the south of the park through the great shining savannah vegetation and reach Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via the Ishasha sector, famous for the tree-climbing lions.
• On arrival at the park, check in at the lodge and enjoy your lunch.
• After lunch, proceed for a late evening game drive within the park and get a chance to observe many animal species, including antelopes, kobs, waterbucks, warthogs, and elephants.

Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

• Have an early morning breakfast and proceed to the park headquarters for a briefing about the dos and don'ts of gorilla trekking in Bwindi. The rangers will then accompany you into the rainforest to start your search for the gentle giants. This walk can sometimes be tough. Trekkers are always advised to carry their raincoats and boots because the weather there is always unpredictable. Some porters help carry luggage on behalf of visitors, but at a small cost.
• On sighting the gorillas, the rangers will guide you on how to behave around them, keeping a 6-meter distance as you enjoy watching them play around. It is not easy to predict how long gorilla tracking will take, as this depends on the location of the families, since some of them are far from the park headquarters. However, it usually takes 2 to 8 hours to contact them, and the rangers will always be there to guide you.
• After your trek, return to the lodge for lunch. You may opt to visit the Batwa community in the afternoon to enjoy some cultural performances.

Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

• Have breakfast in the morning and start your journey back to Kampala.
• Take a stopover at the equator for some photos and have lunch at Igongo Cultural Centre. You might also opt to visit the museum here.
• Finally, proceed to Kampala, reaching in the late afternoon.